1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is heat sinks for dissipating a thermal load and methods dissipating a thermal load.
2. Description of Related Art
The development of the EDVAC computer system of 1948 is often cited as the beginning of the computer era. Since that time, users have relied on computer systems to simplify the process of information management. Today's computer systems are much more sophisticated than early systems such as the EDVAC. Such modern computer systems deliver powerful computing resources to provide a wide range of information management capabilities through the use of computer software such as database management systems, word processors, spreadsheets, client/server applications, web services, and so on.
In order to deliver powerful computing resources, computer architects must design powerful computer processors and high-speed memory modules. Current computer processors, for example, are capable of executing billions of computer program instructions per second. Operating these computer processors and memory modules requires a significant amount of power. Often processors can consume over 100 watts during operation. Consuming significant amounts of power generates a considerable amount of heat. Unless the heat is removed, the heat generated by a computer processor or memory module may degrade or destroy the component's functionality.
To prevent the degradation or destruction of an electronic component, a computer architect may remove heat from the electronic component by using traditional heat sinks. Traditional heat sinks typically have fins for dissipating heat into the environment surrounding the heat sink. Traditional heat sinks absorb the heat from an electronic component and transfer the heat throughout the heat-dissipating fins using thermal conduction. The thermal resistivity of the materials used to design the fins in traditional heat sinks, however, often results in an uneven distribution of heat throughout the fins when distribution occurs conductively. Such uneven distribution of heat throughout the fins typically reduces the overall efficiency of the fins to dissipate heat. As such, readers will appreciate that room for improvement exists with regard to increases the efficiency of traditional heat sinks.